In Beverly Hills, 90210 ZIP Code carries cachet -- and clout

A councilman's proposal to reassign residents to a different code from the one made famous by the television series meets with opposition.

Beverly Hills Councilman John Mirisch thought he was proposing an idea that would reduce confusion for police and fire personnel.

He recently suggested that the City Council study reassigning residents of the so-called Beverly Hills Post Office community, which is actually in Los Angeles, to a different ZIP Code from the 90210 made famous by the television series of that name.

According to Mirisch, the council had heard recently from a resident living in the Post Office area, an extensive area north of Sunset Boulevard, who contended that the Los Angeles Police Department did not respond to calls. The LAPD, the person said, assumed from the ZIP Code that the matter was Beverly Hills' responsibility.

But Mirisch's proposal met a brick wall of opposition, from all four of his council colleagues and from residents who said they don't want to lose the cachet of the 90210 ZIP Code.

The council informally voted 4 to 1 against moving forward with the proposal.

"I think it's pretty dead," Mirisch said.

These residents, then, will keep 90210, which despite popular perception does not cover the entire city. South Beverly Hills uses the 90211 and 90212 ZIP Codes.